A Jar of Clay

On Sunday the pastor at the church I attended talked about the passage in 2 Corinthians where it says “we have this treasure in jars of clay” – she was talking about our identity, and how we are a jar of clay, the vessel that hold the treasure of God inside. this notion of being a jar of clay struck my heart.

I think of how often in the midst of hard times, injustice, and oppression my response it to just try to be strong enough. I’ll take on all the bad guys. I will make something work out. I will fix whatever it is that is wrong. It’s a part of my nature (one of those “an unguarded strength is a double weakness” things). I try to be unbreakable. I put on a harder, stronger shell. I put on my “I can take it” attitude. And I was struck by how I’m “missing the boat” by that approach.

I am a jar of clay…prone to break. I am not supposed to be strong enough. I am not supposed to be able to fix it all. I do not need to carry the weights that I choose to carry. I am a jar of clay – not a jar of platinum.

I think of how much I’m like Peter, who immediately went for his sword in the garden when Jesus was betrayed. He went for his “strength,” while Jesus was telling him to lay down his sword. And I think of how that is in stark contrast to the example that Jesus set of humility. And then I think of how Christ’s power is made perfect in my weakness, and I wonder why I’m still trying to be strong enough on my own. Why is it that my default setting is anger, strength, and fight? When will I embrace humility, compassion, and weakness? When will I stop trying to be a jar of plantium and embrace that God has called me a jar of clay? And what does that really mean?